SC residents, business owners prepare as the state sees population growth

ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Carolinas have been some of the fastest growing states in the US over the past few years.

Between July 2024 and 2025, South Carolina was the fastest growing state with 1.5% growth. North Carolina wasn’t far behind. It was the third fastest growing state with 1.3% growth.

Nearly 80,000 people moved to South Carolina in that time. And 33,151 of those people came from North Carolina, according to census data.

Areas like Rock Hill are feeling that growth. Derek Vitatoe and his wife Broyny wanted to help some of those new residents thrive professionally and mentally.

“You walk in other co-working spaces, they feel like an office,” Vitatoe said. “You work in here, and you feel like it’s an office, but you feel as productive and thriving as possible.”

The couple left New York City and came to Rock Hill. In March, they opened Work at Wheel at The Threads building.

“We knew how important location was to the success of a co-working space,” Vitatoe said. “We couldn’t find that in Charlotte, when we looked, we were close to another co working space or the environment the community just wasn’t fitting for us.”

But business owners are not the only ones moving to South Carolina.

Real estate agent Kaila Lindsey told Channel 9’s Erika Jackson that there are several reasons the state is popular.

“A lot has to do with the lifestyle,” she said.

Beyond that, the dollar can go further in SC than it can in some other states.

“Cost of living in South Carolina is actually about 6% less than in North Carolina,” Lindsey said. “So for those coming over the border, they’re looking at things like taxes and what the actual cost of homes are.”

So some people are using that to save money on the home buying process while getting the same benefits.

“People are choosing to go to Fort Mill, York, Clover, these areas where they truly can get the same home that they can get in Charlotte for much less with more property,” Lindsey said.

Jackson asked Lindsey if residents in areas like Fort Mill, that are seeing so much growth, should be worried about the overcrowding that can be seen in metropolitan areas.

“We have the land, we have the availability,” she answered. “So we’re never going to hit that bottleneck like you would, let’s say, in other major metropolitan areas like New York, where there’s just no more land to expand to.”

Lindsey said there may even be benefits for long time residents, beyond an increase in home equity.

“Right now, the convenience is a bit narrow,” she said. “You have to drive a little ways to get to grocery stores and certain desirable shopping. As these areas grow, the convenience factor is going to increase along with it.”

Vitatoe said that he hopes more neighbors, means more customers.

“We can’t wait for the next 10 years,” he said. “We’re seeing the growth, and what we see today is going to be even better tomorrow.”

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